1960–Today

In this installation, we celebrate a diverse group of donors and a variety of objects. These gifts range from the private library of Robert Waln (1765-1836)-a prominent Philadelphia merchant and importer-given by Mr. and Mrs. R. Alexander Montgomery, to our most recent gift, the Julien Levy Papers, which include the renowned gallery owner’s personal and business records, along with printed materials. Other important gifts include the Carl Otto Kretzschmar von Kienbusch collection of books and manuscripts on arms and armor, the Henry P. McIlhenny Papers, the Stella Kramrisch Papers, and the Julius and Irene Zieget collection of Shaker material.

During the past five decades, the Library has grown tremendously-from 50,000 items in 1960 to more than 250,000 items today. The Archives was established in 1975 and has grown to 1,600 linear feet, or an estimated 1.6 million documents. This period has also seen the establishment of endowed book funds and the birth of the Faith and Fine Arts Group, a friends-of-the-library organization that has given generous annual donations to the Library.

After many years of increasingly overcrowded conditions, the Library and Archives moved to its new home in the Perelman Building in 2007. We look forward to many years of service to the Museum community, the general public, and scholars alike, with anticipation that our future will be as bright as our past.